QUICK HITS: Monday, October 8

This is a new feature I'll be doing every couple weeks (basically whenever I have enough to say). I focus so much on pilots and ratings and don't always get to comment on shows' quality or lack thereof. So here we go, enjoy!!

-- New Shows I Have Given Up On Already: Animal Practice, The New Normal, The Mob Doctor, Partners, The Neighbors, 666 Park Avenue

-- New Shows that are Close to Joining That List: Revolution, The Mindy Project, Elementary

-- Second Year Shows I Still Watch: New Girl, Revenge, Person of Interest, Scandal

-- The Most Underrated New Show is... (don't laugh) Made in Jersey. It's not reinventing the wheel but is any CBS show? The actors are good, particularly Janet Montgomery and Kyle MacLachlan, and the cases are intriguing. I'm surprised it's bombing so bad on Fridays because it seems like a good fit with fellow family/law and order themed show Blue Bloods.

-- The Show that's off to the Best Second Season is... Scandal. I love Revenge and Person of Interest, but neither one is captivating me quite like Scandal. The show's intriguing but uneven short first season has given way to a spectacular start to season two. Someone give Kerry Washington an Emmy nomination!

-- A Show that Deserves a Second Look is... Guys with Kids. It's sort of the comedy version of Made in Jersey. There's nothing about it that feels new but that doesn't make it a bad show. If you like comfort sitcoms that feel like they're from the 90s, Guys with Kids might be the show for you.

-- A Show Experiencing a Renaissance is... The Office. Last year was terrible, so bad that I should have given up on the show. But I didn't because it has been a favorite of mine for so many years. This year, in its final season, Greg Daniels is back and the show feels like it has gone back to basics. The first three episodes have been far better than ANY episode last year.

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EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of Rhoda ! RHODA: SEASON FIVE 1978 13 episodes Rhoda' s final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While Rhoda has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way. Rhoda could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result. Starring Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern (13 episodes) Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern (13 episodes) Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin (11 episodes) Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle (9 episodes) Nancy Wa...

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During the month of December, I will be looking back at the decade that was the 2010s on TV. I will be sharing my favorite sitcoms, dramas, the best episodes, the best performances and the worst shows of the decade. To be eligible for this list, a show had to air the majority of its episodes in the 2010s. However, for the rankings and determination, all episodes were taken into account, including ones that may have aired before 2010. I will also preface that there are comedies that have aired this decade that I haven't watched yet so this is the best of what I have watched. To be fair, that preface is more true for dramas. There's not a ton of unwatched comedies sitting in my Netflix or Amazon watchlist. So here are my Top 10 comedies of the 2010s! Close Calls: Master of None (Netflix) - An inconsistent but occasionally fascinating commentary on many life issues done so with innovative storytelling. The Good Place (NBC) - A show that aims high with a fascinating premis...

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